Sportsman, Clubman, Socialite. Brokaw was the son of hugely successful New York clothier William Vail Brokaw of Brokaw Brothers, and grandson of a railroad tycoon; he inherited a fortune of around $4.5 million and never needed to do anything in particular for work. His circle of friends was the cream of New York society: Astor's, Whitney's, Guggenheim's, Vanderbilt's, Gould's, Morgan's, all of them interested in speed, whether horses, greyhounds, yachts or cars. Brokaw was an elder statesman for that set of young millionaires, having been born a decade or more before most, in 1863.
In later legal proceedings--of which there were oh so many, he was described as "a rich and fashionable clubman." Before the advent of the racing car, Brokaw was focused on yachts and horses, and when he wasn't at one of a series of Madison Avenue homes, held a very popular steeplechase at his 125-acre Great Neck estate, Nirvana (the former Crabbe estate). He owned a succession of yachts, of which Sybarite and Amorita were serious racing vessels, and won many New York area races. When motorized boats became popular, in 1905 he bought the year-old Challenger, at 150Hp one of the fastest boats in the world; indeed, he set new world's records with it that spring. The first association with a car I've been able to find comes from April 1903, when he's arrested for speeding on 125th street in Manhattan.
He was already a big name in New York social circles, but his fame was about to become national, when he became involved with Katherine Poillon. Later described as "professional vamps," Katherine and her sister Charlotte made their living by involving wealthy New York gentlemen in love affairs, and either blackmailing, suing or sometimes just beating money out of them. Charlotte, at 200 pounds and about six feet tall, had boxed professionally, and Katherine wasn't much smaller (they were Amazonian, statuesque and attractive, however). She took the romance tack with Brokaw, among many others, and in 1902 sued him for, essentially, a broken heart (breach of promise) ...and $500,000.
This first sensational lawsuit dragged on for four years, and made headlines nationwide numerous times. At this time Brokaw had discovered cars. He was already a member of the Automobile Club of America (A. C. A.) racing committee, and we know he was at the Brighton Beach (New York) and Ormond Beach (Florida) races in 1903. In 1904, he purchased a 30hp Renault (pictured at beginning) directly from Louis Renault, and entered it and a De Dion-Bouton at Ormond Beach, winning a number of races. His used his driver Maurice G. Bernin for some, while in the owner-driven Gentlemen Operator class, Gould Brokaw won the five-mile handicap. Benin, incidentally, left Gould Brokaw's employ to drive for Renault in France for a time, and while there oversaw the construction of some of Brokaw's later Renaults. He eventually returned to the US to drive for Brokaw again.
In 1903, Gould Brokaw also built a 20,000-acre sporting retreat, the Fairview Park Lodge, seven miles southeast of High Point, North Carolina, at a cost of $1 million. But Brokaw changed cars as others changed clothes, and soon ordered a 24-30 Fiat from Hollander & Tangeman of New York; newspaper reports stated he "already possesses a large number of fast automobiles." The FIAT was "to be especially built for him at the Turin factory, and will be finished entirely in white. The carriage will be built of white Cape Cod wood, and it will be upholstered with white enameled leather. His brother, Clifford Brokaw, purchased a Fiat about a month ago," wrote Motor Age. He also purchased the 1904 Gordon Bennett winning 80hp, 9.9-liter Richard Brasier.
He was apparently less than pleased with that Fiat, because his next car was a 12.3-liter Renault roadster, which he entered in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup. "There is a keen, but friendly, rivalry between W. K. Vanderbilt Jr. and W. Gould Brokaw for automobile honors," wrote the St. Paul Globe. Vanderbilt was impressed, and convinced Renault to start a short production run of gentlemen's racers along Gould Brokaw's pattern. Brokaw clearly liked Renaults, too, and ordered several more over the next few years. He also bought Walter Christie's (fourth) front-wheel-drive car after the 1906 Vanderbilt, setting a minor record in France with it when he achieved 290 miles on 10 gallons of gas. Brokaw's interest in cars went beyond racing, however. After purchasing the Christie, he backed the Front Drive Motor Car Company, which intended to build Christie-patent taxis. That company failed, and involved a lawsuit that went to the New York State Supreme Court. He was much more deeply involved later on, in the Twenties, when he was a major backer of Hibbard & Darrin coachbuilders, and even reportedly helped develop their Sylentlyte body casting system. According to Coachbuilt.com, "Many years later Hibbard recollected that if Brokaw had been more reasonable, the firm might have survived, at least for a couple more years.
Unfortunately, Brokaw was not a reasonable man, and during the first few weeks of 1931 the firm closed its doors and auctioned off what few assets remained. 1908 separation from his second wife, Mary Morris Blair, (he had already been married for a few years in the 1890s) was a nationwide sensation. From the time they were separated in February of 1908, through the end of the separation trial in February 1910, it was literally headline news. For a short time, especially from November 1909 through January 1910, when there were daily court proceedings to report, W. Gould Brokaw was the public face of New York. Details from the trial only fleshed out the character. There was his lush life: "Although it was established by an executor of the Brokaw estate and others that Mr. Brokaw had received upward of $2,500,000 in the last six years, John F. McIntyre, counsel for the defendant, asserted that his client, through his extravagant manner of living, had practically beggared himself," reported the New York Times. Having been married a third time in 1917.
William Gould Brokaw died on 17 February 1941, In Summerville, South Carolina, Brokaw's body was taken to New York, and entombed in the H Bramhill Gilbert Mausoleum near his sister Lilla, then in February of 1956 his widow Catherine had his disentombed and shipped to Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California where he was entombed in the Great Mausoleum in the Jasmine Terrace section. In 1972 his third and final wife was entombed with him.
In later legal proceedings--of which there were oh so many, he was described as "a rich and fashionable clubman." Before the advent of the racing car, Brokaw was focused on yachts and horses, and when he wasn't at one of a series of Madison Avenue homes, held a very popular steeplechase at his 125-acre Great Neck estate, Nirvana (the former Crabbe estate). He owned a succession of yachts, of which Sybarite and Amorita were serious racing vessels, and won many New York area races. When motorized boats became popular, in 1905 he bought the year-old Challenger, at 150Hp one of the fastest boats in the world; indeed, he set new world's records with it that spring. The first association with a car I've been able to find comes from April 1903, when he's arrested for speeding on 125th street in Manhattan.
He was already a big name in New York social circles, but his fame was about to become national, when he became involved with Katherine Poillon. Later described as "professional vamps," Katherine and her sister Charlotte made their living by involving wealthy New York gentlemen in love affairs, and either blackmailing, suing or sometimes just beating money out of them. Charlotte, at 200 pounds and about six feet tall, had boxed professionally, and Katherine wasn't much smaller (they were Amazonian, statuesque and attractive, however). She took the romance tack with Brokaw, among many others, and in 1902 sued him for, essentially, a broken heart (breach of promise) ...and $500,000.
This first sensational lawsuit dragged on for four years, and made headlines nationwide numerous times. At this time Brokaw had discovered cars. He was already a member of the Automobile Club of America (A. C. A.) racing committee, and we know he was at the Brighton Beach (New York) and Ormond Beach (Florida) races in 1903. In 1904, he purchased a 30hp Renault (pictured at beginning) directly from Louis Renault, and entered it and a De Dion-Bouton at Ormond Beach, winning a number of races. His used his driver Maurice G. Bernin for some, while in the owner-driven Gentlemen Operator class, Gould Brokaw won the five-mile handicap. Benin, incidentally, left Gould Brokaw's employ to drive for Renault in France for a time, and while there oversaw the construction of some of Brokaw's later Renaults. He eventually returned to the US to drive for Brokaw again.
In 1903, Gould Brokaw also built a 20,000-acre sporting retreat, the Fairview Park Lodge, seven miles southeast of High Point, North Carolina, at a cost of $1 million. But Brokaw changed cars as others changed clothes, and soon ordered a 24-30 Fiat from Hollander & Tangeman of New York; newspaper reports stated he "already possesses a large number of fast automobiles." The FIAT was "to be especially built for him at the Turin factory, and will be finished entirely in white. The carriage will be built of white Cape Cod wood, and it will be upholstered with white enameled leather. His brother, Clifford Brokaw, purchased a Fiat about a month ago," wrote Motor Age. He also purchased the 1904 Gordon Bennett winning 80hp, 9.9-liter Richard Brasier.
He was apparently less than pleased with that Fiat, because his next car was a 12.3-liter Renault roadster, which he entered in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup. "There is a keen, but friendly, rivalry between W. K. Vanderbilt Jr. and W. Gould Brokaw for automobile honors," wrote the St. Paul Globe. Vanderbilt was impressed, and convinced Renault to start a short production run of gentlemen's racers along Gould Brokaw's pattern. Brokaw clearly liked Renaults, too, and ordered several more over the next few years. He also bought Walter Christie's (fourth) front-wheel-drive car after the 1906 Vanderbilt, setting a minor record in France with it when he achieved 290 miles on 10 gallons of gas. Brokaw's interest in cars went beyond racing, however. After purchasing the Christie, he backed the Front Drive Motor Car Company, which intended to build Christie-patent taxis. That company failed, and involved a lawsuit that went to the New York State Supreme Court. He was much more deeply involved later on, in the Twenties, when he was a major backer of Hibbard & Darrin coachbuilders, and even reportedly helped develop their Sylentlyte body casting system. According to Coachbuilt.com, "Many years later Hibbard recollected that if Brokaw had been more reasonable, the firm might have survived, at least for a couple more years.
Unfortunately, Brokaw was not a reasonable man, and during the first few weeks of 1931 the firm closed its doors and auctioned off what few assets remained. 1908 separation from his second wife, Mary Morris Blair, (he had already been married for a few years in the 1890s) was a nationwide sensation. From the time they were separated in February of 1908, through the end of the separation trial in February 1910, it was literally headline news. For a short time, especially from November 1909 through January 1910, when there were daily court proceedings to report, W. Gould Brokaw was the public face of New York. Details from the trial only fleshed out the character. There was his lush life: "Although it was established by an executor of the Brokaw estate and others that Mr. Brokaw had received upward of $2,500,000 in the last six years, John F. McIntyre, counsel for the defendant, asserted that his client, through his extravagant manner of living, had practically beggared himself," reported the New York Times. Having been married a third time in 1917.
William Gould Brokaw died on 17 February 1941, In Summerville, South Carolina, Brokaw's body was taken to New York, and entombed in the H Bramhill Gilbert Mausoleum near his sister Lilla, then in February of 1956 his widow Catherine had his disentombed and shipped to Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California where he was entombed in the Great Mausoleum in the Jasmine Terrace section. In 1972 his third and final wife was entombed with him.
Sportsman, Clubman, Socialite. Brokaw was the son of hugely successful New York clothier William Vail Brokaw of Brokaw Brothers, and grandson of a railroad tycoon; he inherited a fortune of around $4.5 million and never needed to do anything in particular for work. His circle of friends was the cream of New York society: Astor's, Whitney's, Guggenheim's, Vanderbilt's, Gould's, Morgan's, all of them interested in speed, whether horses, greyhounds, yachts or cars. Brokaw was an elder statesman for that set of young millionaires, having been born a decade or more before most, in 1863.
In later legal proceedings--of which there were oh so many, he was described as "a rich and fashionable clubman." Before the advent of the racing car, Brokaw was focused on yachts and horses, and when he wasn't at one of a series of Madison Avenue homes, held a very popular steeplechase at his 125-acre Great Neck estate, Nirvana (the former Crabbe estate). He owned a succession of yachts, of which Sybarite and Amorita were serious racing vessels, and won many New York area races. When motorized boats became popular, in 1905 he bought the year-old Challenger, at 150Hp one of the fastest boats in the world; indeed, he set new world's records with it that spring. The first association with a car I've been able to find comes from April 1903, when he's arrested for speeding on 125th street in Manhattan.
He was already a big name in New York social circles, but his fame was about to become national, when he became involved with Katherine Poillon. Later described as "professional vamps," Katherine and her sister Charlotte made their living by involving wealthy New York gentlemen in love affairs, and either blackmailing, suing or sometimes just beating money out of them. Charlotte, at 200 pounds and about six feet tall, had boxed professionally, and Katherine wasn't much smaller (they were Amazonian, statuesque and attractive, however). She took the romance tack with Brokaw, among many others, and in 1902 sued him for, essentially, a broken heart (breach of promise) ...and $500,000.
This first sensational lawsuit dragged on for four years, and made headlines nationwide numerous times. At this time Brokaw had discovered cars. He was already a member of the Automobile Club of America (A. C. A.) racing committee, and we know he was at the Brighton Beach (New York) and Ormond Beach (Florida) races in 1903. In 1904, he purchased a 30hp Renault (pictured at beginning) directly from Louis Renault, and entered it and a De Dion-Bouton at Ormond Beach, winning a number of races. His used his driver Maurice G. Bernin for some, while in the owner-driven Gentlemen Operator class, Gould Brokaw won the five-mile handicap. Benin, incidentally, left Gould Brokaw's employ to drive for Renault in France for a time, and while there oversaw the construction of some of Brokaw's later Renaults. He eventually returned to the US to drive for Brokaw again.
In 1903, Gould Brokaw also built a 20,000-acre sporting retreat, the Fairview Park Lodge, seven miles southeast of High Point, North Carolina, at a cost of $1 million. But Brokaw changed cars as others changed clothes, and soon ordered a 24-30 Fiat from Hollander & Tangeman of New York; newspaper reports stated he "already possesses a large number of fast automobiles." The FIAT was "to be especially built for him at the Turin factory, and will be finished entirely in white. The carriage will be built of white Cape Cod wood, and it will be upholstered with white enameled leather. His brother, Clifford Brokaw, purchased a Fiat about a month ago," wrote Motor Age. He also purchased the 1904 Gordon Bennett winning 80hp, 9.9-liter Richard Brasier.
He was apparently less than pleased with that Fiat, because his next car was a 12.3-liter Renault roadster, which he entered in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup. "There is a keen, but friendly, rivalry between W. K. Vanderbilt Jr. and W. Gould Brokaw for automobile honors," wrote the St. Paul Globe. Vanderbilt was impressed, and convinced Renault to start a short production run of gentlemen's racers along Gould Brokaw's pattern. Brokaw clearly liked Renaults, too, and ordered several more over the next few years. He also bought Walter Christie's (fourth) front-wheel-drive car after the 1906 Vanderbilt, setting a minor record in France with it when he achieved 290 miles on 10 gallons of gas. Brokaw's interest in cars went beyond racing, however. After purchasing the Christie, he backed the Front Drive Motor Car Company, which intended to build Christie-patent taxis. That company failed, and involved a lawsuit that went to the New York State Supreme Court. He was much more deeply involved later on, in the Twenties, when he was a major backer of Hibbard & Darrin coachbuilders, and even reportedly helped develop their Sylentlyte body casting system. According to Coachbuilt.com, "Many years later Hibbard recollected that if Brokaw had been more reasonable, the firm might have survived, at least for a couple more years.
Unfortunately, Brokaw was not a reasonable man, and during the first few weeks of 1931 the firm closed its doors and auctioned off what few assets remained. 1908 separation from his second wife, Mary Morris Blair, (he had already been married for a few years in the 1890s) was a nationwide sensation. From the time they were separated in February of 1908, through the end of the separation trial in February 1910, it was literally headline news. For a short time, especially from November 1909 through January 1910, when there were daily court proceedings to report, W. Gould Brokaw was the public face of New York. Details from the trial only fleshed out the character. There was his lush life: "Although it was established by an executor of the Brokaw estate and others that Mr. Brokaw had received upward of $2,500,000 in the last six years, John F. McIntyre, counsel for the defendant, asserted that his client, through his extravagant manner of living, had practically beggared himself," reported the New York Times. Having been married a third time in 1917.
William Gould Brokaw died on 17 February 1941, In Summerville, South Carolina, Brokaw's body was taken to New York, and entombed in the H Bramhill Gilbert Mausoleum near his sister Lilla, then in February of 1956 his widow Catherine had his disentombed and shipped to Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California where he was entombed in the Great Mausoleum in the Jasmine Terrace section. In 1972 his third and final wife was entombed with him.
In later legal proceedings--of which there were oh so many, he was described as "a rich and fashionable clubman." Before the advent of the racing car, Brokaw was focused on yachts and horses, and when he wasn't at one of a series of Madison Avenue homes, held a very popular steeplechase at his 125-acre Great Neck estate, Nirvana (the former Crabbe estate). He owned a succession of yachts, of which Sybarite and Amorita were serious racing vessels, and won many New York area races. When motorized boats became popular, in 1905 he bought the year-old Challenger, at 150Hp one of the fastest boats in the world; indeed, he set new world's records with it that spring. The first association with a car I've been able to find comes from April 1903, when he's arrested for speeding on 125th street in Manhattan.
He was already a big name in New York social circles, but his fame was about to become national, when he became involved with Katherine Poillon. Later described as "professional vamps," Katherine and her sister Charlotte made their living by involving wealthy New York gentlemen in love affairs, and either blackmailing, suing or sometimes just beating money out of them. Charlotte, at 200 pounds and about six feet tall, had boxed professionally, and Katherine wasn't much smaller (they were Amazonian, statuesque and attractive, however). She took the romance tack with Brokaw, among many others, and in 1902 sued him for, essentially, a broken heart (breach of promise) ...and $500,000.
This first sensational lawsuit dragged on for four years, and made headlines nationwide numerous times. At this time Brokaw had discovered cars. He was already a member of the Automobile Club of America (A. C. A.) racing committee, and we know he was at the Brighton Beach (New York) and Ormond Beach (Florida) races in 1903. In 1904, he purchased a 30hp Renault (pictured at beginning) directly from Louis Renault, and entered it and a De Dion-Bouton at Ormond Beach, winning a number of races. His used his driver Maurice G. Bernin for some, while in the owner-driven Gentlemen Operator class, Gould Brokaw won the five-mile handicap. Benin, incidentally, left Gould Brokaw's employ to drive for Renault in France for a time, and while there oversaw the construction of some of Brokaw's later Renaults. He eventually returned to the US to drive for Brokaw again.
In 1903, Gould Brokaw also built a 20,000-acre sporting retreat, the Fairview Park Lodge, seven miles southeast of High Point, North Carolina, at a cost of $1 million. But Brokaw changed cars as others changed clothes, and soon ordered a 24-30 Fiat from Hollander & Tangeman of New York; newspaper reports stated he "already possesses a large number of fast automobiles." The FIAT was "to be especially built for him at the Turin factory, and will be finished entirely in white. The carriage will be built of white Cape Cod wood, and it will be upholstered with white enameled leather. His brother, Clifford Brokaw, purchased a Fiat about a month ago," wrote Motor Age. He also purchased the 1904 Gordon Bennett winning 80hp, 9.9-liter Richard Brasier.
He was apparently less than pleased with that Fiat, because his next car was a 12.3-liter Renault roadster, which he entered in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup. "There is a keen, but friendly, rivalry between W. K. Vanderbilt Jr. and W. Gould Brokaw for automobile honors," wrote the St. Paul Globe. Vanderbilt was impressed, and convinced Renault to start a short production run of gentlemen's racers along Gould Brokaw's pattern. Brokaw clearly liked Renaults, too, and ordered several more over the next few years. He also bought Walter Christie's (fourth) front-wheel-drive car after the 1906 Vanderbilt, setting a minor record in France with it when he achieved 290 miles on 10 gallons of gas. Brokaw's interest in cars went beyond racing, however. After purchasing the Christie, he backed the Front Drive Motor Car Company, which intended to build Christie-patent taxis. That company failed, and involved a lawsuit that went to the New York State Supreme Court. He was much more deeply involved later on, in the Twenties, when he was a major backer of Hibbard & Darrin coachbuilders, and even reportedly helped develop their Sylentlyte body casting system. According to Coachbuilt.com, "Many years later Hibbard recollected that if Brokaw had been more reasonable, the firm might have survived, at least for a couple more years.
Unfortunately, Brokaw was not a reasonable man, and during the first few weeks of 1931 the firm closed its doors and auctioned off what few assets remained. 1908 separation from his second wife, Mary Morris Blair, (he had already been married for a few years in the 1890s) was a nationwide sensation. From the time they were separated in February of 1908, through the end of the separation trial in February 1910, it was literally headline news. For a short time, especially from November 1909 through January 1910, when there were daily court proceedings to report, W. Gould Brokaw was the public face of New York. Details from the trial only fleshed out the character. There was his lush life: "Although it was established by an executor of the Brokaw estate and others that Mr. Brokaw had received upward of $2,500,000 in the last six years, John F. McIntyre, counsel for the defendant, asserted that his client, through his extravagant manner of living, had practically beggared himself," reported the New York Times. Having been married a third time in 1917.
William Gould Brokaw died on 17 February 1941, In Summerville, South Carolina, Brokaw's body was taken to New York, and entombed in the H Bramhill Gilbert Mausoleum near his sister Lilla, then in February of 1956 his widow Catherine had his disentombed and shipped to Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California where he was entombed in the Great Mausoleum in the Jasmine Terrace section. In 1972 his third and final wife was entombed with him.
Gravesite Details
Originally entombed in the H. Bramhall Gilbert Mausoleum in Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx. NY. Moved to Forest Lawn on 2/23/1956
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